I&B Ministry Recommends to Open Cinema Halls from August

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has recommended to the Union Home Ministry that cinema halls all over the country be allowed to reopen in August. The halls remained closed for 3-4 months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Almost every state in India had announced the closure of cinema halls amid the deadly novel Coronavirus.

Amit Khare , the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Secretary indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said the Home Ministry Secretary Ajay Bhalla, will take the final call on this matter.

Khare has indicated that he has recommended for reopening of cinema halls in the month of August. He said that theatres may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1  or at the latest, around August 31.

The suggested sitting arrangement formula for the theatres is that the alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant and proceeding in this fashion throughout.

Khare said that his ministry's recommendation takes into consideration the two metre social distancing norm, but tweaks it gently to two yards instead. The Home Ministry, however, still has to revert on the recommendation.

However, the cinema hall owners present in the interaction pushed back and said this formula is unwise and merely running films at 25 percent auditorium capacity is worse than keeping the theatres shut.